Rotating Opening Wheel Mechanism for Automatic Stake Bypass

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current pre-pruning machines for vines face challenges in automatically opening their cutting heads to bypass trellising stakes without damaging them, leading to issues such as stake pulling or pushing, which can cause breakage, and existing solutions are either costly or inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a rotating opening wheel mounted on each vertical drive shaft of the cutting discs via a speed reducer, allowing the wheels to roll over stakes without pushing or pulling them, and featuring a counter-blade arrangement for cooperative cutting action.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the cutting head is kept closed to maintain cutting position, then cutting precision is improved, but the stakes are damaged due to pushing or pulling forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidstake damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting head is designed to dynamically change its state between closed (for cutting) and open (for bypassing stakes). The opening wheels rotate to automatically open the cutting head when encountering stakes, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational conditions, thus avoiding stake damage while maintaining cutting precision during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The opening wheels are equipped with sensors that automatically detect stakes and trigger the opening mechanism without external intervention. The system self-regulates by detecting the presence of stakes and automatically opening the cutting head, eliminating the need for manual control and ensuring timely avoidance of stake damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the cutting head is opened to bypass stakes, then stake integrity is improved, but cutting continuity is reduced due to automatic opening/closing operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestake integrityVSAvoidcutting continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening wheels are designed to quickly detect and bypass stakes by rapidly opening the cutting head, minimizing the time the cutting operation is interrupted. The system skips over obstacles efficiently, reducing the impact on cutting continuity while ensuring stake integrity is maintained

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting head operates in a periodic cycle of cutting and bypassing, where the opening wheels continuously monitor for stakes and trigger brief opening actions only when necessary. This periodic operation maintains high cutting continuity by keeping the head closed during normal cutting and temporarily opening only when stakes are detected

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Device complexity

If opening wheels are mounted directly on drive shafts, then device complexity is reduced, but stake damage occurs due to pushing or pulling forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting complexityVSAvoidstake damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A speed reducer is introduced as an intermediary component between the drive shaft and the opening wheels. This intermediate mechanism transmits rotational motion while reducing the speed and torque, allowing the opening wheels to roll over stakes without exerting damaging pushing or pulling forces, thus resolving the contradiction between simple mounting and stake protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the cutting head to automatically separate and bypass trellising stakes without damaging them, ensuring effective pre-cutting and cleaning of trellising wires while maintaining the integrity of the stakes and cutting tools.

Implementation Method 1

each opening wheel being mounted on its drive shaft (1A, 1B), via a speed reducer coupled in rotation to said shaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpeed reducer: Gear

Implementation Method 2

the opening wheels roll up on the latter, without pushing them or without pulling them

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling: Roller

Data Source

PatentEP2433488B1Device for automatically pass around posts for tying berry hedges, and corresponding agricultural machines

Publication Date: 2013.11.27 PELLENC SA

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3e

AI summary

An automatic device for bypassing trellising stakes or fruit tree supports, particularly for pre-pruning machines comprising a working head with two rotating vertical drive shafts (1A, 1B), on which are mounted two stacks of toothed cutting discs (4A, 4B) and an opening wheel (5A, 5B), these stacks being able to occupy a close position in which they interpenetrate or a spread-out position in which the cutting discs of each stack are separated from the cutting discs of the other stack, characterized in that each opening wheel (5A, 5B) is mounted on its drive shaft (1A, 1B) via a speed reducer (20) coupled to said shaft. The invention also relates to agricultural machines equipped with such a device.